GeoSierra is a privately held corporation, involved in technological innovation in the earth sciences focused on providing more sustainable solutions for issues relating to theEarth, Energy and Environment. GeoSierra is based in Atlanta, GA, USA and London, England. For a brief background on the history of GeoSierra and its founding President - see BackgroundandPublications. Expertise is directed with particular emphasis to more efficient and environmental sustainable solutions.

To read about the history and development of advances in stimulating ductile formations that have led to our Permeable Reactive Barrier Design/Build services for groundwater remediation, our enhanced oil and gas recoverysystems and our renewable energy systems - see History and Development. Or view our video of how we construct subsurfacePRBs for Groundwater Remediation. To view our patents or patents pending - go toPatents.

Since March 2015 our enhanced oil and gas recovery activities were put on indefinite hold due to low prices. If you are interested in our stimulation of ductile oil & gas reservoirs, enhanced SAGD and electric EOR technologies for conventional and enhanced oil and gas recovery go to our Energy page.

Our New Energy Focus - GeoThermal Energy & Carbon Energy Storage

Our new energy focus has been concentrated on two initiatives; 1) Geothermal Energy and 2) Carbon Energy Storage, both in anelastic ductile sedimentary formations using supercritical carbon dioxide as the subsurface working fluid. The geothermal system provides 24/7 base load electric power generation, while the carbon energy storage system stores intermittent renewable electrical energy for later peak electric power generation. Both systems are closed cyce and geologically store supercritical carbon dioxide. To utilize carbon dioxide as the subsurface working fluid requires a meaningful carbon tax on emitters to incentivize a carbon neutral society; otherwise the carbon dioxide is simply released to the atmosphere and not captured and stored. If such a carbon tax is not in place, the Geothermal Energy initiative will go ahead as a pilot using recirculated groundwater as the subsurface working fluid, while the Carbon Energy Storage pilot will be delayed until climate change initiatives force a meaningful tax on carbon emissions.

Iron Proppant Permeable Reactive Barriers - GeoSierra has pioneered the installation of trenchless subsurface iron proppant permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) for groundwater remediation and has installed miles of PRBs under design/build contracts at more than 20 sites throughout the USA. For any enquiries on design/build services of PRBs in the USA or other environmental applications of our technologies contact Deborah Schnell at dschnell@geosierraenv.com.

Engineered Geothermal Energy for Widespread Application

Geothermal Energy in Hot Anelastic Ductile Formations- hot anelastic ductile formations can be stimulated with GeoSierra's Azi-Frac technology using non-invasive fluids creating highly permeable planes filled with a garmet sand proppant, without the potential for induced seismicity. The system is a closed cycle supercritical carbon dioxide thermal energy extraction process to provide a 24/7 electrical generation energy source close to existing infrastructure for both base and peak electricity supply. Net operating cost is comparable to the operating cost of a new natural gas fired electrical generation plant ignoring any carbon tax on the natural gas plant's carbon emissions. Net operating cost is operating cost minus carbon storage revenue and desalinated extracted groundwater income. To utilize carbon dioxide as the subsurface working fluid requires a meaningful carbon tax on emitters; otherwise the carbon dioxide is simply released to the atmosphere and not captured and stored. If such a carbon tax is not in place, then the system uses recirculated groundwater as the subsurface working fluid operating at a reduced efficiency and with no upfront carbon storage revenue from a cashflow perspective to offset the system's Capex. A geothermal pilot for base load electrical power generation is planned for construction mid-2017 in Imperial Valley, CA.

Carbon Energy Storage for Intermittant Renewable Energy

Carbon Energy Storage in Anelastic Ductile Reservoirs- geological carbon dioxide storage in legacy oil and gas fields, combined with a closed cycle peak electrical energy storage system and enhanced oil recovery by gravity drainage from the legacy fields. Efficient storage of renewable energy for later peak demand use. Net operating cost is comparable to the operating cost of conventional pumped hydro. Net operating cost is operating cost minus carbon storage and produced hydrocarbon revenue. To utilize carbon dioxide as the subsurface working fluid requires a meaningful carbon tax on emitters; otherwise the carbon dioxide is simply released to the atmosphere and not captured and stored. If such a carbon tax is not in place, then the carbon dioxide is not available for use and the pilot will be delayed until climate change initiatives force a meaningful tax on carbon emissions. A carbon energy storage pilot for peak load electrical power generation is planned for construction mid-2017 in Kern County, CA in anelastic ductile turbidite reservoir formations.

Hydraulic Pulse Interference Testing- GeoSierra's proprietrary pulse receiver pressure transducers have a resolution of 1/10,000 psi and each transducer is individually calibrated to achieve an accuracy of 0.01 inches head of water, enabling the source and receiver wells to be 1,000's of feet apart. The pulse interference tests provide a 3D directional characterization of porous and fractured media, the geometry and integrity of impermeable barriers, and the geometry and hydraulic characteristics of permeable propped inclusions, natural and artificial propped and unpropped fractures. GeoSierra's in-house software of type curve and inversion modeling enables characterization parameters and geometries to be quantified.

Subsurface Real-Time Geometry Imaging- GeoSierra's active resistivity imaging technology provides real-time geometry mapping of subsurface injected proppants and fluids and also can be used to directly evaluate the barrier containment integrity of impermeable barriers by quantifying any leaks into or out off contained zones. Inverse software computes the injected 3D image of injected proppants and fluids from subsurface and suface high impedance receivers in an incremental time forward algorithm using injected volumes and flow rates to provide a high resolution 3D image of the subsurface injected geometry.

Quake Activated Electro-Osmosis for Earthquake Mitigation

Earthquake Mitigation by Electro-Osmosis - quake activated seismic switch DC energizes graphite electrodes prior to the arrival of the earthquake shear wave, thus stabilizing a slope, dam and structure, or minimizing liquefaction beneath a structure, or minimizing destructive ground motion by seismic isolating the structure from the earthquake induced displacements. DC power source is independent of the grid and of sufficient capacity to energize and stabilize a large structure or slope, during a very large earthquake including pre and post shocks.

Oil Sands Surface Mining an Environmental Tragedy

Electrical Resistive Heating with Gravity Drainage- our subsurface in situ ERG system for enhanced heavy oil and bitumen recovery is a viable in situ alternate to surface mining of oil sands. Minimal site disturbance, no tailings, no water usage, reduced carbon footprint, significant less Capex, and an enormous reduction in environmental impact. The technology is also targeting the no man's land, i.e. too deep to mine and too shallow for SAGD. View theERG Video. An additional advantage of the in situ ERG recovery system is the use of off-peak electricity from the grid and the utilization of excess renewable electrical energy. As of March 2015, our heavy oil ERG pilot was put on indefinite hold due to the low price of Kern River crude.

Electric Resistive Heating with Gravity Drainage (ERG) - As an alternative to surface open pit mining of oil sands. No tailings, no water usage, reduced carbon footprint, and an enormous reduced environmental impact. Compared to conventional in situ SAGD, >80% reduction in capital, reduced energy use, reduced carbon footprint and zero water usage. Recovery from stranded reserves that are too shallow, too close to outcrop, poor quality or lack of caprock or too deep for SAGD. Go to Electric EOR.

Our Focus: Renewable Energy

Carbon Energy Storage - geological carbon dioxide storage in legacy oil and gas fields, combined with a closed cycle peak electrical energy storage system and enhanced oil recovery by gravity drainage from the legacy fields. Efficient storage of renewable energy for later peak demand use. GeoSierra's carbon energy storage system in ductile turbidite reservoir legacy oil and gas fields is in final feasibility assessment study for field pilot deployment mid-2017 in Kern County, CA. Revenue for the Carbon Energy Storage system comprises of carbon storage, peak electrical energy supply and produced hydrocarbons. Net operating costs are comparable to conventional pumped hydro, but with a significant lower capital cost per MW stored. Net operating cost is operating cost minus carbon storage and produced hydrocarbon revenue. See the brief Video. Go to Energy Storage.

Geothermal Energy in Hot Ductile Formations - hot ductile formations can be stimulated with GeoSierra's Azi-Frac technology using non-invasive fluids without any potential for induced seismicity. The system is a closed cycle carbon dioxide thermal energy extraction process to provide a 24/7 electrical generation energy source close to existing infrastructure. GeoSierra's geothermal electrical power generation system in enhanced hot ductile low perm formations is in final feasibility assessment study for field pilot deployment mid-2017 in Imperial Valley, CA. Revenue for the GeoThermal Energy system comprises of carbon storage and electrical energy supply, both base and peak load demand. Net operating and capital costs are comparable to a new 2016 natural gas fired electrical power generation plant, at US$ 2016 natural gas price and ignoring any carbon tax on the natural gas power plant emissions. Net operating cost is operating cost minus carbon storage revenue and desalinated extracted groundwater income.Go to Geothermal.

Our Expertise:- You may have heard of our expertise in the following areas:

Software - simulation of geomaterials and geofluids for petroleum, energy and environmental applications from pore to basin scale

GeoSierra's wholly owned subsidary, GeoSierra Energy is the owner of royalty rights and oil and gas and geothermal leases.

Stimulation of Ductile Formations:Enhanced oil and gas recovery of tight ductile reservoir formations. Multiple azimuth inclusions installed by well stimulation technology requiring inclusion initiation to enable the successful self propagating inclusion in ductile formations using non-invasive fluids. GeoSierra's geomechanics knowledge base provides design requirements for the stimulation solution based on formation geomechanical properties. GeoSierra's experience, expertise and knowledge base of formation properties enables GeoSierra to provide stimulation design and execution guidance. Without this experience and knowledge base an operator is blind on how to design and execute a self propagating inclusion stimulation in a ductile formation.

Attempting to hydraulically fracture a ductile formation conventionally through perforations, typically results in a fracture not being initiated, and either results in the formation of a cavity expansion in a weak formation, or a short horizontal inclusion, contrary to the prevailing stress state, in a stronger formation. Conventional hydraulic fracturing of these ductile formations does not excite the least energy dissipating mechanism, and often results in zero enhancement of well productivity.

GeoSierra has special stimulation casing systems and downhole stimulation tools, and using non-invasive fluids can place a vertical planar inclusion in these ductile formations from either a vertical or horizontal well. Retrofit stimulation systems for existing wells are available. This technology is not depth limited.

Subsurface Barriers:GeoSierra has pioneered the installation of trenchless subsurface permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) for groundwater remediation and has installed miles of PRBs at >20 sites throughout the USA. The same technology is used to create a subsurface impermeable barrier, as a freeze wall, or impermeable by grout injection or the injection of a special swellable proppant. The imperable barrier can provide containment of hazardous wastes or as a fluid loss barrier for thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using steam, such as in SAGD (Stream Assisted Gravity Drainage) operations. Visit our USA environmental PRB sublicensee atwww.geosierraenv.com for information and costing of a PRB in the USA. Active resistivity monitoring during real time as the PRB installation proceeds, ensures the PRB is constructed as designed. To view how we construct subsurface PRBs see ourVideoor view our Case_Studies. For a list of volatile organic compounds destroyed by a zero valent iron PRB and metals precipitated amd immobilized see VOCs_Metals.